Credit-accounting appliance.



No. 783,126. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905. P. A. MOCASKBY.

CREDIT ACCOUNTING APPLIANCE.

APPLIOATION FILED APE.2'I,1904.

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' flmw PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

P. A. MOGASKEY.

CREDIT AOC-OUNTING APPLIANCE.

APPLIUATION FILED APE.2'7,1904.

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@%m V. QZZ/JQ No. 783,126. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

P. A. MQGASKEY.

CREDIT AGGOUNTINGYAPPLIANGE.

APPLICATION rum 311.27, 1904.

DELINQUENT CARD LIST.

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Customer 1903 Jan.

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December Patented February 21, 1905.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @rrrca.

PERRY A. MGCASKEY, OF LISBON, OHIO.

CREDlT-ACCOUNTENG: APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,126, dated February 21, 1905.

Application filed April 27, 1904 Serial No. 205,094.

To ctli/ it'll/07771 it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY A. McGAsKnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lisbon, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Credit-Accounting Appliances; and 1 do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to systems for keeping records of credit sales of merchandise and also the cash payments thereon; and the invention has reference particularly to the apparatus and appliances for carrying out the systems.

The objects are to improve credit systems that are carried out by means of duplicate account-slips or bills and bill-holders in lieu of regular sets of account-books and to improve the various means employed for carrying out such systems as referred to above, so that the apparatus and appliances therefor may be conveniently handled and at the same time be inexpensive in first cost and economical in use.

\Vith the above-mentioned and other objects in view theinvention consists in improved apparatus and appliances whereby credit accounts maybe recorded and kept, in the novel features of construction of the apparatus and appliances comprised in the means for carrying out the credit system, and in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described,and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved accountfiling cabinet-desk, having a double desk-lid, embraced in the invention; Fig. 2, a perspective view of an improved bill-holder frame and bill-holder without the bill-clips thereof and having devices for rendering the frame and holders portable; Fig. 3, a perspective view'of a balance-spring for the bill-holders; Fig. 4, a central vertical longitudinal sectional view of the cabinet-desk, having the bill-holders therein; Fig. 5, a transverse sectional view of the bill-holder-frame base, showing the inner side of one of the upright ends of the frame and abill-holder in section connected therewith, the holder being broken off; Fig. 6, a perspective view of the cabinetdesk with the double lid raised, so as to show an account-form at the under side thereof; Fig. 7, a side elevation of the bill-holders and their frame detachedfrom their cabinet and yoked together or bunched conveniently for peing placed in a safe for protection of the accounts; Fig. 8, a fragmentary sectional detail view showing the manner of connecting bill clamps or clips to opposite sides of the bill-holders; Fig. 9, a plan view of the rear of the forward one of the bill-holders; Fig. 10, a plan of the front of the rearmost one of the bill-holders, one of the bill-clamps thereof being broken away and the relative position of the clamp at the opposite side of the holder being indicated by dotted lines; Fig. 11, a fragmentary plan of the index-sheet that is attached to the top of the under part of the double desk-lid; Fig. 12, a fragmentary plan of the form-sheet that is attached to the under side of the under part of the double desk-lid for keeping records of delinquent customers; Fig. 13, a fragmentary plan of the form comprised in the system for tabulating the amounts due from the individual customers at the ends of the months in order to ascertain the total amountdue; Fig. 14, a fragmentary plan showing a bill-form held by the improved indexed bill-clamp on a bill-holder, and Fig. 15 a fragmentary plan of the form comprised in the system for tabulating the totals of the amounts due at the ends of the.

months and years.

Similar reference characters designate like parts or features in the several figures of the drawings.

In a practical embodiment of the invention a desk A without legs is provided that is adapted to be supported on store-counters, although legs of course may be provided. The desk has a suitable number of vertical partitions, as a and b, on which a pair of cleats care secured, the cleats supporting a pad-holder cl, on which a pad of bill-forms may be conveniently kept and used. The rear portion of the desk has a stationary cover f fixed thereto, the plane of the top of the desk forward of the cover being inclined, as is also the holder (Z. The cover f has a front ledge g. The desk has a double lid comprising an upper part formed as a frame B, having a glass table 0 secured therein and a leaf D fitting in the frame B against the table C, the frame'B being secured to hinges h, that are attached to the ledge g, and the leaf D being secured to hinges z', that are attached to the frame B at the under side thereof, opposite to the hinges it. Thus both parts of the lid may swing upwardly from the desk either together or the frame B separately, and when the frame is raised the leaf may swing independently and may be used on which to write on the index-sheet E, that is attached to the top thereof. A finger-hold j is attached to the free side of the leaf D and extends beyond the edge of the frame B for manipulating the leaf, and atthe under side of the leaf Done or more delinquent-lists F in sheet form are secured thereto, preferably by means of tacks, so that old lists when no longer needed may be readily detached.

-When both parts of the double lid are raised,

access may be had to the interior of the desk and to the bills 6 in the upper part thereof.

A cabinet-case Gr, having a back Z6, is mounted on the cover f of the desk A, the top and front of the case being open and the cover f seated in the case on the bottom thereof behind the ledge G and bearing against the back it. The frame ends are provided with metal capplates JJ, having each a number of arched caps r J formed integrally therewith, so that bearings Z are provided, in which coiled springs K are seated. The frame ends are provided at their inner sides with locking-pins m, and the springs have arms 02. engaging the pins, the opposite ends of the springs having arms 1) having bends q and adapted when not in use to lie upon the caps J. The back l: is provided with a catch a, that is engaged by a latch s, that is connected to the base H by a pivot t, the latch having an upturned finger-' piece it. The frame also includes a pair of bearing-plates L L, attached to the outer sides of the frame ends, the plates having slots 4; in the upper edges thereof forming bearings for the bill-holder pivots. The bill-holder frame is provided with a yoke comprising a pair of arms M and M, that are connected to the lower portions of the frame ends, at the outer sides thereof, by pivots 2, the arms having at the free ends thereof an integral cross-bar N, which is provided with a downturned hook w.

The bill-holders, as O O 0 0 of suitable number are each provided with a pair of pivots w and y, projecting from opposite sides of one end portion-thereof, the pivots being removably inserted in bearing-slots o of the plates L L, so that the bill-holders may be removed separately from their frame. The arms p of the springs K bear against the fronts of the bill-holders and operate in the usual manner to balance theholders. The rear side of the foremost bill-holder and both sides of the other holders are provided with billclamps P P, identically formed. The holders have holes 1,and each clamp has two springcoils 2 and 3 or 5 and 6 and fingers& extending from the coils through the holes to the opposite sides of the holders. On the holders having clamps at both sides thereof itwill be seen that two clamps are secured by means of two holes, the clamps extending in the same direction at opposite sides of the holder, all toward the free end thereof. Each bill-clamp is provided with a tab-holder Q, Fig. 14, having a tabR containing indexing-numbers running in regular order, and in some cases the names of customers may be written on the tabs beside the numbers, particularly when customers carry numbered pass-books having detachable duplicate bills or invoices that may not contain the names of the customers, otherwise similar to the form 6. The tab-hold ers are conveniently attached to the clamps near the free ends thereof. The bill-holders are provided with rubbers S and T at opposite sides thereof, so as to prevent interference of the bill-clamps of adjacent holders. The rubbers are secured to the holders by means of clenched nails and are so disposed that the rubbers of one holder engage thoseof adjacent holders.

.Ordinarily the bar N rests against the back it behind the holder 0 and when the holders are drawn forwardly so as to stand at angles of about forty-five degrees to the base H the yoke-arms M M may be moved so that the bar N and the hook w thereof may engage the top of the holder 0 and prevent its rearward movement by its balance-springs, the other bill-holders being normally pressed rear-,

wardly by their balance-springs and stopped by the holder O and the bar N, as in Fig. 7, so that the actions of the balance-springs may be counteracted,while the bill-holders may be handled in a bunch by means of their frame.

The delinquent card-list F is suitably ruled,

so as to provide a blank column 8 for the regnumber of pages having the forms U,on which statements may be made up at the ends of the months, there being on each page a column 15 for register-numbers, a column 16 for cus tomers names, and twelve columns, as 17 and 18, having the names of the months at their heads and ruled for entering dollars and cents, in which the amounts owing by the customers may be entered and then footed up at the bot toms of the columns, thus enabling a dealer monthly to ascertain the balance due from each customer, as well as the total amount due him, according to the balances shown on the duplicate bills on the bill-holders.

As a convenience for keeping small accounts against customers who may make only occasional credit purchases the clamp-tabs on the holder ()are lettered, as indicated in Fig. 10. The free end of each bill-holder is numbered or indexed in the customary manner.

In the back part of each one of the books heretofore referred to are pages having each the form V, having vertical columns 19, 20, 21, and 22, headed, respectively, Amount on numbers, Amount on alphabet, .Amount delinquent, and otal. In another column the names of the twelve months, as 23 and 2 are arranged on horizontal lines. On this form monthly a detailed statement of totals may be made up from the bills on the billholders and from the delinquent card-list, so that a dealer may have before him complete data as to what may be due him and from what sources at the ends of the months and at the end of the year, besides the condition of the individual accounts, as shown on the form U, all arranged in one book and the only one desired in the system.

In practical use the bill-holders and the billclamps may be employed in the usual manner, the bills being ordinarily hidden by the foremost holder 0, and on account of the remaining holders having clamps on both sides thereof a large number of accounts may be accommodated on comparatively few holders, which is agreatadvantage. By raising the upper part of the double desk-lid entries may be made on the index-sheet on the lower part or leaf D, and

when the latter is held up entries may be made on the delinquent-list, where they may be conveniently referred to. When the frame B is down, the glass table C serves not only to protect the index against soiling, but as a writingtable through which the writings on the index may be read. The bills may be made out on the holder d conveniently, where the balquickly brought down onto new bills before ances from bills on the bill-holders may be entering charges for new purchases. As is customary, duplicating by means of carbon is practiced, so that an original bill may be given to the purchaser and a duplicate retained on a bill-holder. Each clerk of course may have a pad or book of blank bill-forms, and in some cases customers may be provided with pass-books having duplex blank hills, which are used in the same manner as the bill-forms in the store. .In case a pass-book should not be presented at times when purchases are made the store-blanks may be used and the entries made later from them into the pass-books when presented.

When desirable to place the bills in a safe for protection, the yoke for benching the billholders may be employed, as heretofore described; but when sufficient space is lacking to receive them the several bill-holders may be detached from the bill-holder frame and placed separately in such spaces as may be available in the safe, the subsequent insertion of the bill-holders in their bearings being readily accomplished, as will be apparent from the foregoing description of construction.

In practicing the system the duplicates of original bills are all filed, not only itemized without extra labor, but totaled when each purchase is made. When settlements are made, the cash entries are made on the last bills filed in the bill-holders, although in case of dispute all entries of charges may be referred to. At the ends of the months the forms U and V should be used to tabulate the results of the credit business as shown on the billholders or account-slips thereon; Additional tabulating-forms of course may be employed, if desired, as a further extension of the system without the necessity of making the daily book-entries heretofore largely practiced.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 claim as new is I 1. Account-recording appliances including a frame provided with inserted detachable billholders, and balance-springs for the bill-holders mounted on the frame.

2. Account-recording appliances including a frame and pivoted bill-holders provided with a yoke for temporarily preventing pivotal movements of the bill-holders relatively to the frame.

3. Account-recording appliances including acabinet-desk provided with a double lid comprising two hinged parts cooperating one with another, one part of the lid having a glass table forming a part thereof, and bill-holders cooperating with the lid.

4. Account-recording appliances including bill-holders, a cabinet-d esk for supporting the bill-holders provided with a double lid comprising two parts cooperating one with another and having an index-sheet between the two parts thereof.

5. Account-recording appliances including indexed bill-holders, a cabinet-desk for supporting the bill-holders provided with a double lid comprising a lower part and an upper part, and an index-sheet on the top of the lower part of the double lid.

6. Account-recording appliances including indexed bill-holders, a cabinet-desk for supporting the bill-holders provided with a double lid comprising a hinged frame having a glass table and having also a leaf hinged to the frame, an index-sheet on the top of the leaf, and a delinquent-list sheet on the under side of the leaf of the lid.

7. Account-recording appliances including a bill-holder frame having pivot-bearings therein, bill-holders having. pivots mounted in the bearings, and balance-springs for the bill-holders mounted independently on the frame and cooperating with the bill-holders.

8. Account-recording appliances'including a bill-holder frame having slots in the ends thereof, bill-holders having pivots mounted removably in the slots, and balance-springs mounted independently on the frame and having detachable connection with thebill-holders.

9. Account-recording appliances including a bill-holder frame, bill-holders pivoted on the frame, ayoke comprising a pair of pivoted arms and a cross-bar provided with a hook I adapted to engage one of the bill-holders, and

" raised from the caps.

11. Account-recording appliances including a bill-holder frame, bill-holders mounted on the frame,balance-springs for the bill-holders, and bill-clamps mounted on the bill-holders and provided with index-tabs.

12. Account-recording appliances including a bill-holder frame, bill-holders mounted on the frame and having pairs of apertures therein, bill-clamps mounted oppositely on both sides of the bill-holders and having members extending through the apertures to opposite sides thereof, the bill-clamps on both sides of the bill-holders extending from the apertures in the same direction.

13. Account-recording appliances including pivoted bill-holders, bill-clamps mounted on the bill-holders, tab-holders attached to the bill-clamps near the free ends thereof, and index-tabs mounted on the tab-holders.

14. Account-recording appliances including a case, a bill-holder frame inclined in the case, bill-holders pivoted to the bill-holder frame, and balance-springs mounted on the bill-holder frame and having detachable connection with the bill-holders, the springs being removably supported independently of the bill-holders.

15. Account-recording appliances including a bill-holder frame, bill-holders mounted on the frame and having pairs of apertures therein, bill-clamps mounted oppositely on both sides of the bill-holders and having members extending through the apertures to opposite sides thereof, and rubbing-strips on the bill-holders in pairs on opposing holders and cooperating one with another.

16'. Account-recording appliances including a case having a back provided with a catch, a bill-holder frame having a latch cooperating with the catch, bill-holders mounted on the bill-holder frame, and balance-springs mounted on the bill-holder frame cooperating with the bill-holders.

17. Account-recording appliances including a bill-holder frame provided with balance-springs supported independently'thereby,-and bill-holders mounted removably on the bill-holder frame independently of the balance-springs and having cooperating engagement therewith.

18. In account-recording appliances, the combination with a cabinet-desk, of a billholder frame having ends provided with bearings, bill-holders having pivoting devices cooperating with the bearings, and springs supported by means ofthe ends of the frame independently of the bill-holders for balancing the holders uprightly.

19. In credit-accounting appliances, the

combination of a cabinet-desk provided with a double lid comprising an upper part having a glass table and hinged to the desk and a lower part hinged to the upper part and having a finger-hold at the free end thereof cooperating with the upper part, a frame mounted in the cabinet-desk, and bill-holders mounted on the frame.

20. In accountrecording appliances, the combination with a cabinet-desk having a case provided with a back and also a ledge on the bottom thereof, of a bill-holder frame leaning against said back behind said ledge, bill-holders pivoted on the frame, balance springs mounted on the frame and cooperating with the bill-holders, a catch attached to said back, and a latch mounted on the bill-holder frame adapted to cooperate with the catch.

21. In accountrecording appliances, the combination with a cabinet-desk, of a billholder frame having ends provided with bearing-plates having slots, bill-holders having pivots removably inserted in the slots, and springs mounted on the ends of the frame and having each a locked arm and also a swinging arm cooperating with a bill-holder and adapted to be disconnected therefrom.

22. In account-recording appliances, the combination with a plurality of pivoted billholders, of a plurality of bill-clamps mounted on the holders, tab-holders attached to the bill-clamps, and index-tabs attached to the tab-holders.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PERRY A. MOCASKEY.

Witnesses:

H. C. KoEHLER, WILLIAM L. HART. 

